The former Bolton News employee had changed careers and started work as a call handler for the North West Ambulance Service.

He progressed through the ranks to become manager of regional operations.

Devastated colleagues lined the route to St Mary’s Church in Hyde, to show their respect and hundreds of mourners attended his funeral on Thursday.

The former Castlebrook High pupil was delighted to be featured in The Bolton News in 2004 when he presented a certificate to a young boy who called an ambulance for his mum. Mr Williams lived in Stalybridge with his wife, 35-year-old Ange, and son Josh, now aged 10, before the family moved to Hyde. They had two more sons — Lewis, now aged seven and Ben, now aged two.

He leaves one older brother, Carl, as well as his parents Ellis and Carol, who have both remarried, and a stepmother, stepfather, two stepsisters and a stepbrother.